January 14th 2011: The day tyranny reigned over Barotseland

It is today exactly six (6) years since Zambia’s Rupiah Bwezani Banda government issued marching orders to the police to use maximum force and stop unarmed peaceful Barotse people who had mobilized themselves to gather peacefully and discuss in a civilized manner, the future of their nation, Barotseland, with their royal establishment. Anyone who knows the people of Barotse will agree, without hesitation, that they are among the most peaceful and civilized people in the world.

According to official Barotseland government records, 19 people died as a result of Zambia police’s actions of that day or as a result of the torture they were subjected to in Zambian incarceration that followed. Among the dead was an infant who died due to tear gas fumes, after canisters were thrown at the infant’s serene homestead indiscriminately. The government of Zambia, however, has only reported and acknowledged two people to have died.

Nevertheless, the figure 19 was also mentioned and collaborated at the pre-emptive 2012 official hand-over briefing by Dr. Rodger Chongwe, leader of the Chongwe Commission of Inquiry that was instituted by Zambia’s fifth republican president Michael Chilufya Sata to look into the occasion they officially called Mongu Riots. This pre-emptive speech by Dr. Rodger Chongwe is the only official preview of the commission to this day, as the Zambian government has either refused or shown no commitment to tell the nation and the world what really happened on that bloody day.

It is now over five years after the commission of imminent personalities completed their work on the inquiry, but still there is no indication as to when the report will be made public by the Zambian government. In addition to Dr. Chongwe’s briefing, then president of Zambia, in an off the cuff remark, publicly declared that he would hesitate to advise his Zambian government to implement the Chongwe commission’s recommendations of restoring the pre-independence Barotseland Agreement of 1964 as that would open what he termed ‘Pandora’s box’. The Barotseland Agreement 1964 is the only treaty which stipulated the terms and basis under which Barotseland would exist as part and parcel of independent Zambia but was later unilaterally and grossly abrogated in 1969 through an act of parliament by Kenneth Kaunda’s Zambian government and successive governments thereafter.

Meanwhile, in its long ICJ legal pursuit, the Barotseland government has included the 14th January, 2011 barbaric atrocities as a key component of the process in an effort to ensure that those Zambians responsible for this gross injustice, whether dead or alive, will be made accountable for all their reckless actions, in their personal capacities and collectively as a government, so that justice would prevail no matter how long it would take.

Below is the official list of those who were mercilessly murdered by the Zambian police, at the instruction of the Rupiah Banda Zambian government.

This list is in addition to over 200 hundred other victims who suffered untold torture in several Zambian prisons where they were incarcerated without trial in relation to the January 14, 2011 unfortunate incidence, charged with various ‘treason’ crimes but were released many months later, without any compensation whatsoever by the state, after no criminality was found against them.

They are complaining of underdevelopment and yet they destroy property and torch everything. It will also be easier to identify people if their last names differered from their first names, otherwise senseless loss of life is not good.

What a misleading title! It should have read, “January 14th 2011: The day tyranny reigned over Western Province.” Barotseland is a defunct name, a historical name those who hold a tribal agenda want to hold on to. The government of the Republic of Zambia has a mandate from all the people of Zambia to stop anarchy in any form and shape when it shows up its ugly head. This must be done decisively and no mercy must be shown to those who want to destroy the peace that our leaders and the people worked very hard to bring forth! God bless Zambia!

This is the day anarchy was nipped in the bud in Zambia. Rupiah demonstrated that if you went far in your overzealous actions and threaten the peace of the nation, decisive action will be taken on you. Do you know what we call that Mr. Author – Leadership.

@Victor & One Zambia. Even the apartheid regime with a mighty force on the continent, applied most inhuman forms of torture. They thought jailing Mandela to 30 yrs on Roben Island, killing steve Bantu Biko and many ANC supporters would silence the resolve for liberty. Where are the Boers today??? You can kill and jail as many as you may wish. You wont kill the already internalized resolve for freedom. When you think you are more superior than other tribes and only you deserve to rule, one day you will face sovereign embarrassment. Eritrea, S.Sudan, Sahrawi Arab Republic etc are clear precedents. Watch the space. Learn to understand the theory of inclusive governance. Not your tribalism propaganda.

Surely how can you use South Sudan and Eritrea as examples? Both are failed states and in relation to what happened on that fateful day the Zambian Watchdog has published articles which show that the whole episode was orchestrated by Fred Membe in order to discredit the RB regime which means that Fred is the one who has blood on his hands in relation to all those who lost their lives whilst rioting and destroying private and public property.

Njoko Sitoto picks up South Sudan and Eritrea because he is a misguided element who really doesn’t know whether he is going or coming. The fellow even fails to distinguish between internal strife and the fight for independence. There is no leadership that will entertain anarchy anywhere in the world. Continue dreaming.

Bwana Author,
Whilst I appreciate that you have the write to report, please be reminded that this issue is hypersensitive and not forgotten. The issues of Barotseland have not been concluded to completion. You might think you are trying to remind us about what happened yet you are actually instigating. Do you want us to lose more in Barotseland?

@Kayaula, Fwebene and One Zambia. Your hatred and evil hearts for the progress of other tribes is what characterizes you and your country. Whether Mmembe or not, the government and leadership in control must constitute measures for dialogue first to understand what the masses are concerned about. If you are so stupid to understand the pain that people go through don’t throw any stones. The main reason was the issue of under development especially road infrastructure and at the heart of this discontent was government’s failure to repair Mongu Sesheke road. For more than 40 years all excuses were given that road could not be developed because former RSA enemy forces supporting UNITA were going to easily infiltrate Zambia and target SWAPO camps in Western Zambia. The war in RSA ended,…

The war in RSA ended, the war in Namibia ended, the war in Angola ended. What is the reason why the road is not developed ??? Simple answer HATRED. and when people ask for development shoot them. God is watching you. Evil hearted and cursed haters. You don’t need to kill 10, 000 people for God to listen. You don’t need to create 10,000 orphans and make 10,000 mothers shed tears for God to listen. The biggest weapon of mass destruction is the hatred you have against the Lozis speaking people. It is the same weapon against which God has to use his shield to protect his people. Continue with your fake smiles and rejoice in your hatred. Glory be to the ALMIGHTY who searches the hearts of mankind.

Just because I disagree with rioting does not mean I hate Lozis. You dont know but I actually have Lozi blood and not everybody from Western province is Lozi. Go and blame Fred Membe as he is the one who instigated that riot which led to loss of life. If I hated Lozis I would want them to live in failed states like South Sudan or Eritrea which you seem to think are paradise on earth.

Eritrea, S.Sudan, Sahrawi Arab Republic may not be paradise on earth, but are free from perpetual suppression. S. Sudan started fighting as far as 1955 because of the same maltreatment experienced from their Arab origin northern Sudan citizens, who thought and still think they are more superior than S.Sudan residents. As for Eritrea, their cause for freedom were supported through conspiracy of supper powers to achieve geopolitical balance. By any measure, there is no difference between your country that has been independent for 53 yrs and the S.Sudan of yesterday.Tell me. What is the difference??? Pit latrines in the city, wells of water in the city. No proper sewage systems, no town planning, no zoning, no portable running water in houses while you have many inland rivers that flow…

No proper sewage systems, no town planning, no zoning, no portable running water in houses while you have many inland rivers that flow throughout the year. What is your pride to hate other tribes?? Fine. What could have done to people who complain that they are neglected and want development?? Shoot them??? Was it an armed guerrilla movement that was threatening the state for the people to be shot dead?? A person with a passion and spirit of care for his people would never go to the extent of killing. What drives such orders is PURE HATRED.

For your own information, you don’t need to be a Lozi to feel the
pain, frustration and suffering endured by the people for lack of development. It is just human to be concerned. It is a matter that has become an international issue now. AU Chairperson Nkosazana Zuma said at the inauguration of Sata that you must never take peace for guaranteed and this shooting just gave the secessionist group merit to justify their claims. What is so difficult to send a line minister to discuss the issue with the concerned group instead of giving shooting orders to kill the civilians for demanding development and some bloggers even want to praise the government for doing wrong things?? May God Bless You. The tears of innocent people are never dry in vain. That is the secret.